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<h3>Help Topics</h3>
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Displays a description of each feature or tool of the GDE.<br><br>
<h4><a href="javascript:toggleLayer('project-overview');" class="link" title="Project Overview">Project Overview</a></h4>
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When exploring a large amount of data, one may encounter the problem of how 
to most efficiently query, view, comment, and understand the very large data 
set and its implications. From this need and having found no existing system
that could effectively accomplish this task, the new project idea called the 
Generic Database Explorer was created. The Generic Database Explorer (GDE) 
is an interface to a large amount of data that provides quicker information 
retrieval through the use of collaboration and caching. The GDE can be used 
to explore and characterize any relational database regardless of its exact 
contents.
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<h4><a href="javascript:toggleLayer('schema-browser');" class="link" title="Schema Browser">Schema Browser</a></h4>
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To explore the data set, you should first use the <a href="browser.php" class="link" title="Schema Browser - Allows you to browse the database schema.">Schema Browser</a>
to browse the database schema. This schema browser lists the available 
databases used in the project. When a database is selected, the list of tables 
in that database is displayed. Then, when a table is selected from that list, 
the fields of that table are displayed with descriptions. Finally, once a 
field of a table is selected, sample rows and a histogram of the values for 
that field are displayed. Descriptions are either automatically generated by 
the system or provided by an administrator of the data set.
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<h4><a href="javascript:toggleLayer('cached-queries');" class="link" title="Cached Queries">Cached Queries</a></h4>
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To show you correctly-written queries that have been run and to also give you 
ideas for queries that you may want to run on the data set, there is a list 
of <a href="cached.php" class="link" title="Cached Queries - Displays a list of queries that were already run and have their results saved.">Cached Queries</a> 
available. Cached Queries are queries that have already been run and the 
results have been stored. For large data sets, like the ones we are dealing 
with, returning a cached result can save hours or days of intense computation. 
Also, once you have run a new successful query, you will be given the option 
to cache the results. The system determines which queries should be cached 
based on five primary factors: the user's judgment of the query (rating, R), 
the time taken to produce the result (time, T), the size of the result 
(size, S), the value of keeping an existing cached query as opposed to 
replacing it with the new or current one (hits, H), and whether the result is 
currently accurate (changed percentage, C). The actual formula is: 
<b>(R*T*H)/(S*C)</b>.
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<h4><a href="javascript:toggleLayer('search');" class="link" title="Search">Search</a></h4>
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Instead of browsing the site, you may want to use the <a href="search.php" class="link" title="Search - Search the site's content, including the databases, tables, fields, cached queries, basic summary queries, and most recent queries."> Search</a>
feature to find something directly. You can search the site's information that 
is available publicly without logging in, including the databases, tables, 
cached queries, basic summary queries, and most recent queries. With the Basic 
Search, the search results yield links to the content that matches the search 
string that is entered. With the Advanced Search, you can narrow the results 
by searching within a specific area of the site only.
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<h4><a href="javascript:toggleLayer('basic-summary-queries');" class="link" title="Basic Summary Queries">Basic Summary Queries</a></h4>
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To help you become familiar with the data set, we have developed some basic 
summary queries to get you started. <a href="summary.php" class="link" title="Basic Summary Queries - Provides a summary of the database and table information for users that are new to the data set."> Basic Summary Queries</a> 
provide a summary of the database and table information to help you 
characterize the data set that is being explored. These queries are commonly 
run by users that are new to the data set in order to get a better 
understanding of its basic characteristics. The results of these queries are 
typically small, but the run times can be long. These results are cached and 
are available for your convenience.
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<h4><a href="javascript:toggleLayer('most-recent-queries');" class="link" title="Most Recent Queries">Most Recent Queries</a></h4>
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To show you the N most recent queries that other users have submitted and to 
help build a sense of community when exploring and characterizing the data 
set, a list of the <a href="recent.php" class="link" title="Most Recent Queries - Displays a list of the N most recent queries submitted.">Most Recent Queries</a> 
is provided. The number of queries listed (N) can be configured by the data 
set administrator. These queries can allow you to collaborate with other users 
that are working on the same or similar problem as you. The most recent 
queries are not necessarily cached nor are they the queries that were intended 
to solve the problem, but they give a sense of the current problems that are 
being worked on by others using the system.
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<h4><a href="javascript:toggleLayer('collaborative-query-sets');" class="link" title="Collaborative Query Sets">Collaborative Query Sets</a></h4>
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Once you have a set of queries that begin to answer an important question or 
questions, you can export these queries as a Collaborative Query Set. There is 
a list of <a href="collaborative.php" class="link" title="Collaborative Query Sets - Displays a list of Collaborative Query Sets that you have permission to view or modify.">Collaborative Query Sets</a> 
available that you can view or modify, depending on the permissions set by the 
query set owner, who is the user that opened the Collaborative Query Set. The 
query set owner can limit who can join the Collaborative Query Set based on 
their username or expertise. Collaborative Query Sets allow users to work 
together to solve a problem. You can see the set of queries that have been 
tried when attempting to solve a particular problem. Collaborative Query Sets 
can be modified in place. Once part of the Collaborative Query Set is 
finalized, this part can then be exported as a Polished Query Set.
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<h4><a href="javascript:toggleLayer('polished-query-sets');" class="link" title="Polished Query Sets">Polished Query Sets</a></h4>
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Once you feel that you have a set of queries that are polished and answer an 
important question or questions that could benefit others, you can export 
these queries as a Polished Query Set. There is a list of <a href="polished.php" class="link" title="Polished Query Sets - Displays a list of the public Polished Query Sets published by users.">Polished Query Sets</a> 
available that will help you see the problems that other users have already 
solved or have started to solve. You can then browse the contents of the 
query sets to learn from them and also modify and run them for use in your own 
query sets. Modifications to Polished Query Sets must go through the author. 
From these Polished Query Sets, users can begin to get ideas for problems to 
work together on. A Polished Query Set can be exported as a Collaborative 
Query Set while multiple users work on it together and can then be exported 
back into a Polished Query Set once a part of it is finalized.
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<h4><a href="javascript:toggleLayer('query-builder');" class="link" title="Query Builder">Query Builder</a></h4>
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To help you build simple queries by choosing the database, tables, and fields 
that you want to use in the query, we provide a 
<a href="builder.php" class="link" title="Query Builder - Build simple queries by choosing databases, tables, and fields.">Query Builder</a>. 
Once you select the database, tables, and fields that you want to use, the 
query is placed in a textarea so that you can manually edit it to create more 
advanced queries. For more complex query ideas and examples, see the Cached 
Queries, Collaborative Query Sets, and Polished Query Sets. You can use the 
Query Editor to enter and submit your own SQL queries.
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<h4><a href="javascript:toggleLayer('query-editor');" class="link" title="Query Editor">Query Editor</a></h4>
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You can use the <a href="editor.php" class="link" title="Query Editor - Enter a query directly that you can save and/or run now or edit an existing query.">Query Editor</a> 
to enter and submit your own SQL queries. If you need help creating queries, 
try building the query with our Query Builder. With the Query Editor, you can 
enter a new query directly into the textarea to save and/or run now. Saved 
queries are stored in your account under "My Queries". You can also load an 
existing, saved query and edit it in the textarea and re-save and/or run it. 
Furthermore, when you click the query and <u>Show Me</u> links throughout this 
site, they will be placed in the editor to be run or edited.
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